A high-speed network environment typically includes network devices such as routers and switches used for facilitating delivery of information packets and/or data traffic from source devices to destination devices via communication networks such as IP and/or packet-based networks. Information pertaining to the transfer of data packet(s) and/or frame(s) through the network(s) is usually embedded within the packet and/or frame itself. Each packet, for instance, traveling through multiple nodes via one or more communication networks such as Internet and/or Ethernet can typically be handled independently from other packets in a packet stream or traffic. Each node which may include routing, switching, and/or bridging engines processes incoming packet(s) or frame(s) and determines where the packet(s) or frame(s) should be forwarded.
As packet-based networks evolve and become ubiquitous, the need for delivering application aware services from providers has been rapidly increasing. A typical packet-based network, for example, combines both the physical interface (example 1 GigE or 10 GigE) and the application functions onto a common line card with the application processing occurring in-band on the data traffic. For instance, upon entering a router through a physical interface at an ingress component, a data packet proceeds through a network processing element and performs one or more application processing functions. After arriving at an egress component via a switching circuitry, the data packet is routed onto the backplane.
A drawback associated with a typical packet-based network is that an application process, such as real-time performance monitoring, viral scanning, or deep packet inspection (“DPI”) of data traffic passing through routers, can be performance degradation as well as less reliability. Another drawback associated with a conventional packet-based network is that the application processor needs to be replicated on each card that is required to provide the application process. Replicating application processor on multiple cards increases overall equipment costs and power consumption.